The Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School
13+ Entrance Test
2015
General Paper
(Russia and the Soviet Union)
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Time allowed: 1 hour 15 minutes
Instructions:
1. Answer all the questions contained in this Question Paper.
2. Write in clear and full sentences.
3. You should spend 25 minutes on each section.
4. Remember to start each section on a fresh sheet of paper.
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SECTION 1: HISTORY – answer all three questions; spend 25 minutes on this section
Background information:
Born in 1672, Peter I was the Tsar (i.e. emperor/monarch) of Russia from 1682
until his death in 1725. In the seventeenth century, Russia was regarded by most
Western Europeans as ‘backward’ and even ‘uncivilised’. Russia was culturally
very different from Western Europe. In 1697-1698 Tsar Peter I went on a journey
(known as the ‘great embassy’) to several parts of Europe. Known as Peter the
Great, he was responsible for many economic, military and cultural reforms
which aimed to modernise Russia and make it into a major European power.
A portrait of Peter the Great by the British artist Godfrey Kneller, painted in
1698
Source A:
Extract from M.S. Anderson, Peter the Great
In March 1697 Peter left Russia and did not return until September 1698. In those eighteen months he travelled
through Brandenburg to the Dutch Republic, thence to England and, on his return journey, to Vienna. No Russian ruler
had ever visited a foreign land; and apart from a few diplomats and merchants very few Russians of any kind travelled
abroad. Now Peter was seen to be throwing down the barriers which had hitherto separated his country from the rest
of Europe.
If the ‘great embassy’ introduced Peter to Europe it also gave Europeans their first glimpse of a Russian ruler. Their
reactions, like those of their governments, were mixed and often lukewarm. The tsar’s energy and curiosity, together
with his obvious intelligence, aroused admiration. On the other hand, the uncouthness of his manners and his heavy
drinking made him seem something of a savage, however powerful and interesting.
Source B:
Extract from Lindsey Hughes, Russia in the Age of Peter the Great
The embassy was a landmark in Peter’s personal career. This was a voyage of discovery for the tsar, in his quest not
only for practical knowledge but also for ideas. It was significant that the first major destination was the Dutch
Republic, with its thriving merchants, free press, and cosmopolitan atmosphere. Similar impressions of institutions
and social relations very different from Russia’s were to be gained in England. In the course of his journey, Peter was
to see with his own eyes the extent to which Russia lagged behind the countries of Western Europe in its economic
and technological development.
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Source C:
Extract from a modern history textbook on Russia
Peter’s objective was to make Russia into a great state and a military power. His primary goal was to ‘open a window
to the West’, meaning a port easily accessible to Europe. This could only be achieved on the Baltic Sea, but at that time
the Baltic coast was controlled by Sweden, the most important power in northern Europe. By his victory in the Great
Northern War (1701-1721), Peter acquired Estonia, Livonia and Karelia; Sweden was reduced to the status of a secondrate power, and Russia was now the great European state Peter had wanted.
Early in the war, in the northern marshlands on the Baltic coast, Peter had begun to construct a new capital city, St
Petersburg, his window on the West and a symbol that Russia was looking westward to Europe. Though its construction
cost the lives of thousands of peasants who worked on building it, the city was completed during Peter’s lifetime. It
remained the Russian capital until 1917.
Questions:
1. Read sources A and B. Use the information provided in them to support your answer to the following question.
What did Peter the Great’s journey across Europe in 1697-1698 achieve?
Answer in no more than three sentences.
[4 marks]
2. Read sources A, B and C and refer to information provided in them as you explain your answer to the following
question.
Does Peter the Great deserve praise as a ruler?
Explain your answer in fewer than 100 words.
[8 marks]
3. You have studied or learnt about other leading figures in the past. Choose any one of those people and use your
knowledge of him/her to answer the following question as a short essay.
Explain why the historical figure of your choice deserves to be known as ‘Great’.
[8 marks]
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SECTION 2: GEOGRAPHY – answer all three questions; spend 25 minutes on this section
Background information:
Russia has seen huge changes over the last century. From 1917 to 1991, Russia was a
Communist state and much of the former Russian Empire was absorbed within the Soviet Union (the USSR). By the
1980s the Communist system in the Soviet Union was not sustainable: Russia was unable to maintain the military
arms race with the USA, was struggling industrially and losing control of ethnic groups and states within the USSR. In
1991 Communism collapsed and the Soviet Union broke up.
Source A:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Natural_Population_Growth_of_Russia.PNG
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Source B:
Source C:
The Aral Sea’s surface area has now shrunk by approximately 74%, and its volume by almost 85%.The ecosystem of
the Aral Sea and the river deltas feeding into it has been nearly destroyed, not least because of the much higher
salinity. The land around the Aral Sea is also heavily polluted, and the people living in the area are suffering from a
lack of fresh water, as well as from a number of other health problems.
The receding sea has left huge plains covered with salt and toxic chemicals, which are picked up, carried away by the
wind as toxic dust, and spread to the surrounding area; the population around the Aral Sea now shows high rates of
certain forms of cancer and lung diseases, as well as other diseases. Crops in the region are also destroyed by salt
being deposited onto the land. The United Nations has estimated that the sea will essentially disappear by 2020 if
nothing is done to reverse its decline.
Questions:
1. Examine Source A.
Compare the data before and after the collapse of USSR.
[4 marks]
2. Examine Source B.
What possible beneficial and/or harmful impacts of the break-up of the Soviet Union can you think of?
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You may consider possible social, economic and/or political impacts.
[6 marks]
3. Read Source C.
Why are environmental impacts like that described in the Aral Sea becoming more common in the World?
You should refer to information in the source and your own knowledge to help you answer the question.
[10 marks]
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SECTION 3: THEOLOGY – answer both questions; spend 25 minutes on this section
Background information:
Between 1917 and 1990, estimates suggest that 200,000 Christian
leaders were martyred and 500,000 Christians imprisoned by the
Soviet Union. Decades of persecution under Communist rule have left
their mark and recently hostility to Christian views that are contrary
to the Russian Orthodox Church has begun to rise, with churches
raided, the literature burned and a climate of harassment taking root.
Source A:
I consider myself both a patriotic Russian, proud of my country and her history, but also a member of the Russian
Orthodox Church. At times, this tension can be confusing, especially when the government begins to attack my faith.
The Russian Orthodox Church is a branch of Christianity. We believe in the Trinity and Jesus Christ as the Son of God,
and that He died on the Cross to save us for our sins. Both my culture and my Church are influences on my decisions.
Some core beliefs are:




The Bible serves as a cornerstone of my faith. I read it each day for guidance, along with the teachings of the
Fathers – ancient scholars that make sure the teaching is passed down correctly.
Prayer is vital and takes place twice a day, at Sunrise and Sunset. An example of this might be: ‘Lord Jesus Christ,
have mercy on me, a sinner.’
I was baptised as a baby, by being fully immersed in the water. This has a powerful meaning for me, as it links to
when Jesus was baptised and the Holy Spirit was sent down in the form of a dove.
I will often confess my sins – things I have done wrong – before a priest.
Lately, some people have found themselves in jail due to their beliefs. While Orthodox Christianity makes up 50% of
Russia’s religion, I am concerned with the power that the government is starting to wield towards other branches of
Christianity, as well as the refusal of my church to stand up to this power. Should I follow the teaching of Jesus, ‘Give
to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s,’ or should I follow the teaching: ‘Love your
neighbour as yourself’ and aim to forgive this display of power?
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Questions:
1. Read Source A above and answer the following question.
Compare the beliefs and practices of the Russian Orthodox Church with those of another belief system (or
another branch of Christianity).
[10 marks]
2. ‘It is not right for a religious authority to stand and watch persecution without doing something.’ Do you
agree?
Give reasons for your answer, showing you have thought about more than one view.
[10 marks]
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